In the process of Learning Spanish, one often tends to overlook the significance of acquiring vocabulary related to adjectives for describing individuals. Many beginners consider these adjectives merely as a means to practice conjugations in their initial lessons.

While it is true that, especially for beginners, using Spanish adjectives to describe a person serves as an excellent exercise for conjugation practice and vocabulary acquisition, its importance extends beyond the early stages. In the long run, the ability to describe someone in Spanish becomes a valuable skill that is frequently required.

In this article, I have compiled a comprehensive list of commonly used Spanish words to describe people. To facilitate understanding, I have categorized them into adjectives related to personality and physical appearance. Additionally, I have provided examples, phrase structures, and rules to assist you in applying these words accurately.

Upon completion of this, you will possess the ability to accurately depict an individual in Spanish.

Adjectives for Describing a Person’s Physical Characteristics

Below are some frequently used adjectives in Spanish to depict a person’s physical attributes. This collection of adjectives is designed for expressing a person’s overall appearance.

As these Spanish adjectives pertain to physical traits, they are compatible with the verb ‘ser.’ The following explains how you can utilize these words to portray individuals.

[Subject] + [ser conjugated] + (adv/adj) + [adjective]

Saúl es pequeño y musculoso. 
Saul is short and muscular. 

El novio de Georgina es muy guapo. 
Georgina’s boyfriend is very handsome. 

Mis compañeras son altas, delgadas y bonitas. 
My classmates are tall, skinny, and pretty.

Tus primas no son pelirrojas.
Your cousins are not red-haired.  

Kelly es un poco gordita. 
Kelly is a bit chubby.

Observe that you have the option to incorporate adverbs or additional adjectives to highlight or moderate the qualities you are describing, as demonstrated in examples #2 and #4. Furthermore, employing a diminutive is another method to soften the adjective you choose.

Important to mention: When describing individuals, expressing your opinion about someone’s appearance is quite common. For this purpose, verbs like hacer and parecer, which, in this context, signify ‘to seem’ or ‘to look,’ can be utilized.

[Indirect object pronoun] + [verb conjugated] + [adjetive]

Luisa me parece bastante guapa. 
Luisa seems very pretty to me. 

Joe se me hizo muy alto.
Joe looks very tall to me.

Spanish Adjectives for Describing Your Body

Another category of adjectives is available for describing body parts in Spanish. Here are some frequently used words suitable for this context. For more precise descriptions, consider incorporating knowledge of Spanish colors.

When expressing descriptions of your body in Spanish, the verb ‘tener’ is employed. Here are some sentence structures you can utilize for this purpose.

[Subject] + [‘tener’ conjugated] + [body part] + [adjective]

Kim tiene ojos grandes y negros. 
Kim has big black eyes. 

Sammy y Patty tiene manos pequeñas. 
Sammy and Patty have small hands. 

El muchacho tenía cabello largo y lacio. 
The boy had long and straight hair.

Alternatively, you have the option of using the verb ‘ser’ with Spanish adjectives to portray someone’s body. However, it’s important to note that, in this scenario, your sentence structure will require the use of possessive adjectives or prepositions to convey possession.

[Determiner] + [body part(s)] + [‘ser’ conjugated] + [adjective]

Mis piernas son cortas y delgadas. 
My legs are short and thin.  

Las manos de Oliver no son suaves. 
Oliver’s hands aren’t soft. 

Su cabello es chino y pelirrojo. 
Her hair is curly and red. 

Certainly, for a more comprehensive portrayal of yourself or others in Spanish, you have the flexibility to amalgamate all the preceding structures.

Matt es bajito y musculoso. Tiene ojos azules y cabello güero.
Matt is short and beefed. He has blue eyes and blond hair.  

Anna es morena. Su cabello es corto y ondulado. 
Anna is brunette. Her hair is short and wavy.

Adjectives in Spanish for Describing Personality

When discussing an individual in Spanish, it’s possible to delve into various aspects of their personality. Consequently, the subsequent tables present common Spanish words suitable for describing someone’s personality. Be sure to review the examples and sentence structures to ensure accurate application of these adjectives.

Spanish Adjectives Describing a Good Person

Spanish Adjectives Describing Unattractive or Negative Qualities in a Person

When employing Spanish adjectives to portray personality traits, you can utilize the verb ‘ser’ along with the necessary words to characterize the person. Here’s how you go about it:

[Subject] + [‘ser’ conjugated] + (adv) + [adjective]

El chico nuevo es tímido, pero muy amable. 
The new kid is shy but very nice. 

La neta, tus amigos son muy pesados. 
To be honest, your friends are too annoying. 

Este personaje es muy ocurrente y divertido. 
This character is very witty and funny.

In this situation, you have the opportunity to express your opinion or perception of someone’s personality. This proves particularly beneficial when you are still getting to know the individual. Below are examples demonstrating how to convey your impressions. It’s important to observe that, in this scenario, the verb is conjugated according to the person you are referring to.

[Person] + [indirect object pronoun] + [‘parecer’ conjugated] + [adjective]

Ryan Reyndols me parece muy gracioso. 
To me, Ryan Reynolds seems very funny. 

Tu novio nos parece arrogante y grosero. 
To us, your boyfriend seems arrogant and rude.

Las chicas nuevas me parecieron muy simpáticas. 
The new girls seemed very nice to me.

Utilizing Descriptive Adjectives in Spanish

In Spanish, descriptive adjectives must align in gender and number with the person they characterize. Moreover, when referring to personality traits or overall appearance, these adjectives are paired with the verb ‘ser.’ On the other hand, when describing body parts, ‘tener’ is the appropriate verb.

As you’re likely aware, adjectives should mirror the gender and number (feminine, masculine, plural, or singular) of the person under discussion. For instance:

Claudia y Patty son muy aburridas.
Claudia and Patty are so boring. 

John no es aburrido, de hecho, es muy ocurrente. 
John is not boring, in fact, he’s very funny. 

Take note that when dealing with adjectives ending in ‘e,’ ‘ista,’ or a consonant, there is no requirement to alter the gender.

A veces, Pam es cruel y poco paciente.
Sometimes, Pam is cruel and not patient at all. 

Este maestro es muy exigente.
This teacher is very strict. 

Now that you comprehend the functioning of these words and the adjectives available for describing both physical appearance and personality, you can amalgamate this vocabulary to offer a comprehensive portrayal of yourself or others. Here’s a brief example:

Sally es baja, delgada y muy simpática. Tiene cabello largo y ondulado. 
Sally is short, thin and very nice. She has long and wavy hair. 

Observe that, similar to English, when using multiple Spanish adjectives, you only need to conjugate the verb once. Subsequently, you can simply list as many adjectives as necessary.

Wrapping Up

Although it may appear as a minor aspect of conversation, acquiring adjectives for describing individuals in Spanish proves immensely valuable. Believe me, mastering this vocabulary is crucial! How else will you articulate the charm of your crush or describe the amusing character from the TV show you’re engrossed in? We need details!

Jokes aside, the ability to describe people is essential in numerous situations. In this article, I’ve compiled some of the most commonly used Spanish adjectives for this purpose. Here are key takeaways:

• Ser is employed for delineating someone’s overall appearance and personality.
• Tener is utilized for describing body parts. While ‘ser’ can be used, your sentence should convey possession.
• Parecer is applied when expressing your opinion or viewpoint about someone’s personality or physical appearance.
• Spanish adjectives must align with the gender and number of the person being described.
• Adjectives ending with ‘-e,’ ‘-ista,’ or a consonant do not have gender distinctions. Examples include ‘optimista,’ ‘cruel,’ ‘noble,’ etc.

Now, you’re equipped to adeptly use adjectives to portray individuals in Spanish! ¡Buena suerte!